Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Park, USA

Established as the first US National Park in 1872, and widely considered to be the world’s first National Park, Yellowstone, located at the corner of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, has some of the most spectacular geothermal features in the world including the world-famous Old Faithful geyser, which erupts every 60 to 110 minutes, the Morning Glory pool, Grand Prismatic Spring, Norris Geyer basin, and Mammoth Hot Springs. The park is also a nature lover’s dream with the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, several forests, Yellowstone Lake, and abundant wildlife, especially bison.

Grand Teton National Park is located in north-western Wyoming, only 10 miles (16 km) south of Yellowstone National Park. Blessed with extraordinary wildlife, pristine fjord-like lakes, snowcapped peaks and alpine terrain, the 310,000 acres (480 sq. miles) of the park encompass the major peaks of the 40 mile (64 km) long Teton Range, as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. Visitors can explore over two hundred miles of trails, float the Snake River, view diverse wildlife, and learn about the area’s long-standing history, with a Paleo-Indian human presence dating as far back as 11,000 years ago.

Destinations

Key sights to see

Old Faithful

Old Faithful, named for its frequent and predictable eruptions (roughly every 90 minutes) is one of the most famous sights in the world. The height of each eruption is between 100-180 feet, with nearly 3,700 gallons of water released in a short eruption (1.5 min) to 8,700 gallons in a long one (4.5 min).

Upper Geyser Basin

The Upper Geyser Basin is a beautiful area with a 4.2 mile walking trail that goes past many geysers and hot springs. The most famous sights in the Basin, other than Old Faithful, are the Morning Glory Pool, with a range of orange and yellow hues, and the Castle, Daisy and Grotto Geysers.

Midway Geyser Basin

The Midway Geyser Basin is home to the Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in the United States, and the most photographed site in Yellowstone due to its multi-colored layers, from deep blue in the center to greenish and yellow tints on the next layer, to bright orange around the edges.

Norris Geyser Basin

The hottest geyser basin at Yellowstone, Norris Geyser Basin has two sections - Porcelain Basin, which has a lot of steaming vents, spouting geysers, bubbling and boiling geothermal features and the Back Basin, which is located in a pine forest. The star of this area is the Steamboat Geyser, the largest active geyser in the world.

Mammoth Hot Springs

Located in the north of Yellowstone, Mammoth Hot Springs consists of two parts, the Lower and Upper Terraces. Liberty Cap is among the best known of the Lower Terrace’s features, while the key sights of the Upper Terraces include the Prospect, New Highland, While Elephant Back, and Angel Terraces, and Orange Spring Mound.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, is over 34 km long, up to 1.2 km wide, and 365 meters deep in some parts. There are several viewpoints along the canyon rims, but the main one is Artist Point on the South Rim, which offers an exceptional view of the canyon and the Lower Falls.

Lamar Valley

Located in the northeastern corner of Yellowstone, the Lamar Valley is often called America’s Serengeti. The area is famous for the Junction Butte and Lamar Canyon wolf packs, and for hundreds of bison. Other animals in the area include pronghorn, badgers, grizzly bears, bald eagles, osprey, deer, elk, and coyotes.

Hayden Valley

More centrally located than the Lamar Valley, Hayden Valley is one of the best places in Yellowstone to see elk and bison, especially in the warmer months. It’s also a good place to look for coyotes, waterfowl, grizzly bears, and wolves. Stop at one of the many overlooks to look for wildlife, especially early in the morning or at dusk.

Yellowstone Lake

Located at a height of 7,773 feet, Yellowstone Lake is the largest high elevation lake in North America. It freezes over completely every winter and the water temperature remains very low even in the summer, certainly too low for swimming. There are many hiking trails, but the lake is best explored by boat or kayak.

West Thumb Geyser Basin

Located near the south entrance to the park, West Thumb Geyser Basin is one of the smallest geothermal areas of Yellowstone. There is a walking trail that goes past several thermal features along the lakeshore including Abyss Pool, Yellowstone's deepest hydrothermal pool, and the Fishing Cone.

Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Park, USA

Destinations

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